The edge case for artificial intelligence (AI)

The acquisition closely matches Apple’s feelings about the need to put AI/machine intelligence at the edge. Devices must be smart enough to function when they are offline and secure enough not to damage the privacy of customers.

Apple’s decision to develop on-device machine intelligence is shrewd — and not just on grounds of privacy. Cloud-based AI demands devices are always connected to the network, but bandwidth, network congestion, interference, and even physical environments such as being underground can impact performance.

When it comes to larger machines, such as cars, no one wants to suffer an accident because the vehicle couldn’t get online to get told what to do next.

Who are Silk Labs?

“Silk is a machine learning company that provides an on-device AI platform enabling real-time visual and audio recognition. Using the latest advances in deep neural networks, we empower businesses to build the next generation of intelligent connected devices,” the company states on AngelList.

The company was founded in 2015 by former Mozilla luminaries: ex-Mozilla CTO Andreas Gal, Chris Jones, and Michael Vines.

Gal, Silk Labs' CEO and founder, has a strong track record to prove that like Apple, he is passionate about security and privacy. He led Mozilla in this work while he was that company’s CTO.

What about Sense?

Silk's first product was called Sense. This was described as a connected hub that worked with products from other companies to lend added intelligence to smart homes, running apps locally rather than in the cloud. While this never shipped, it came close to doing so.

“We’re looking forward to ushering in a new era of responsive devices,” Gal said at that time. “With Sense and our Silk platform, and forthcoming products and partnerships, we will have limitless potential to make the devices around us more useful in our everyday lives.

Apple gets smarter

Apple has made numerous acquisitions as it focuses on its own flavor of on-device learning. It has purchased Silicon Valley Data Science, Pop Up Archive, init.ai, Regaind, Lattice Data, Tuplejump, Turi, and Emotient in the last couple of years.

The company also hired Google AI leader John Giannandrea as head of machine learning and AI strategy.

Apple’s move to purchase Silk Labs will have a bearing across all of Apple’s hardware products, on software such as HomeKit, and on its much-speculated upon-future plans around autonomous software and machines. It promise an edge case to Apple's AI, providing privacy and performance as public awareness of the need for both grows.